Types of Course Materials

  • Lectures

    All Metropolitan Opera Guild online courses include a variety of lecture video footage to help bring our in-person programming to our online learners.

  • Handouts

    Each lesson includes a handout with additional information as well as links to supplemental readings, providing the opportunity to engage deeply with the conductors and works under study.

  • Musical Examples

    Lessons include links to additional resources, such as audio and video examples, to enrich the exploration of concepts discussed in the lectures and handouts.

Instructor

Dr. Naomi Barrettara

Lecturer

Dr. Naomi Barrettara is a program development consultant and staff lecturer at The Metropolitan Opera Guild involved with several of the Guild’s community programs, including Opera Boot Camp, Score Reading, and Continuing Education classes. She is also a cohost and producer of The Metropolitan Opera Guild Podcast, established in the fall of 2015. In addition to her work at the Guild, Naomi is a cofounder and cohost of the podcast Opera After Dark, and works on various freelance digital media projects. Naomi holds a Ph.D. in Musicology from The Graduate Center, City University of New York, with an additional certificate in interactive technology and pedagogy. Her main research areas include opera studies, public musicology, and classical music in the digital age.

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction

  • 2

    Basic Terminology and the Evolution of Conducting Throughout Opera History (1600 - 1850)

    • About this Lesson

    • Lecture Video: Part 1

    • Lecture Video: Part 2

    • Lecture Video: Part 3

    • Lecture Video: Part 4

    • Handout: Conducting Basics and The History of Conducting (1600-c.1850)

    • Bibliography: List of Clips and Written Sources
  • 3

    The Evolution of Conducting throughout Opera History (1850 - Present)

    • About this Lesson

    • Lecture Video: Part 1

    • Lecture Video: Part 2

    • Lecture Video: Part 3

    • Lecture Video: Part 4

    • Handout: The Evolution of Conducting throughout Opera History (1850 - Present)

    • Extra Reading: The English Tradition of Conducting

    • Extra Reading: The Russian Tradition of Conducting

    • Bibliography: List of Clips and Written Sources
  • 4

    Legendary Conductors and Their Influence

    • About this Lesson

    • Lecture Video: Part 1

    • Lecture Video: Part 2

    • Lecture Video: Part 3

    • Lecture Video: Part 4

    • Handout: Legendary Conductors and their Influence

    • Extra Reading: Women on the Podium

    • Bibliography: List of Clips and Written Sources
  • 5

    Inside the Mind of a Conductor: An Interview with Conductor and Composer Victoria Bond

    • About this Lesson

    • Lecture Video: Part 1

    • Lecture Video: Part 2

    • Lecture Video: Part 3

    • Handout: Inside the Mind of a Conductor - an Interview with Victoria Bond

    • Bibliography: List of Clips and Written Sources

    • Additional Video Suggestions

Pricing Options

Full Course Access